Volunteers who are not dive-certified will be taking their dive course on the first week and will then join other qualified divers once they are certified for research dives. Hence, unqualified divers will have to volunteer for a minimum of 2 weeks whereby the 1st week is their dive course and the 2nd week they will join research dives. Qualified divers, on the other hand, can volunteer for a minimum of 1 week and jump straight to research dives work.
Volunteers will be diving with the team to conduct coral surveys or elasmobranch monitoring, depending on the needs of the project at the time. Volunteers will also be collecting data and analysing data once dives are over.
Volunteers will also help the team to give awareness talks to the public. At the education booth, volunteers will help brief tourists on the project and also on marine conservation efforts. They will also be briefing snorkelers before their snorkel tours on how to go on an eco-snorkel tour to ensure marine lives are not disturbed and distressed.
On Saturdays, the team will be conducting beach cleanups to ensure that the beach is free of trash. The trash will then be sorted according to types before they are recycled or disposed of. Data on the trash will also be recorded for reference.
Volunteers will have about 5 - 6 hours of work in a day from Monday to Saturday and will have their off day on a Sunday. On their off days, volunteers may explore the islands and all that it has to offer, relax by the ocean or choose to work on a mini-project. Ideas for a mini project that correlates with the project are always welcomed and open for discussion.
Once a week, volunteers will get to have a taste of authentic Malay food at the house of a local! This is a great time to interact with your host and get to know the culture better.
Free-time activities
Volunteers can use our kayak on their off days if they wish to kayak, go snorkelling with one of the snorkel operators, diving with the local dive shops, read or stroll around the village.
